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Planning and Development Services hires Development Facilitator

New position will troubleshoot projects while protecting the public interest

As per the City’s Making it Happen Development Philosophy, Planning and Development Services is continuously striving to improve. This goal has led to the hire of Robin Vietz as the City’s first Development Facilitator.

The purpose of the Development Facilitator is to assist applicants who encounter problems during any stage of the development process. Vietz will examine the issue(s), and discuss solutions with staff in an effort to move a project forward while protecting the public interest. Vietz will provide a level of oversight to make sure applicants have what they need to secure an approval. As such, she will proactively initiate contact if a project seems to have spent too much time in the development process. Finally, Vietz will handle special projects, including but not limited to, improving the department’s performance measures and producing public announcements on development related issues.

Vietz is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture. Robin moved to Texas following college for her first position working with a talented team for the award-winning Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Following a number of years as design staff and project captain in landscape architecture, Vietz moved into development services for big box retail development as an owner representative. She has been responsible for securing entitlements for Home Depot in places that have overly complex development processes, such as California.

Vietz has had the opportunity to work with private and public sector development teams from the west coast to the Mississippi River. Most recently, the Hawaiian development firm, Honokea Surf Parks, bringing the NLAND Surf Park to Austin.

The next time you attend a pre-development meeting, please say hello to Robin and welcome her to Round Rock!